Monday, September 28, 2009

www.richmondhydroponics.com.au



We have a huge range of Nutrients, Additives and all the Supplies/Equipment at awesome prices.? We have tested all the procuts we sell ?and they come up to a high standard otherwise they get rejected. No Matter how good the idea is it has to work to make it onto our site.?. We have a secure site that ensures peace of mind when inputing your credit card details.So give us a try you will not be dissapointed. We?deliver worldwide.?Goto www.richmondhydroponics.com.au



Friday, September 18, 2009

Coco Coir media the friend of the environment fast overtaking other medias.



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Coco coir is fast becoming one of the most used growing media in the world today. It's cheap, it does not get taken from the environment and best of all it does not go to landfill. I'll explain in more detail in a minute.?

Firstly let's see where coco coir comes from. When they have harvested the coconut milk and its edible fruit. They make brooms and all sorts of items from them. When they do this a dust is formed into piles on the floor. They collect this and most of the coco is done in Sri Lanka or India. But some is taken to the Netherlands where they sterilise it in fresh water ponds and buffer it. Then they ship it around the world. This is RHP certfied for quality assurance. Don't buy anything else.

It has a natural friendly bacteria called Trichaderma which is great for nurturing the root system. I have covered where coco coir comes from but where does it go. Well what I do with mine I sprinkle on the garden or on the lawn. It adds humus to poor soil and is full of nutrients. It holds 1000% its weight in water so it assists in these harsh drought times.

Also use for seedlings through to all stages of plant life. Now that's a versatile media for growing all your favourite crops. Pick up a bag today. If you use the blocks that come from Sri Lanka or India sterilise first by boiling.

Happy Gardening

By Pepelapue

4/06/2009



Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The best pest advice anyone can give.



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The best way to keep those little pests at bay is to start with a clean room. Sterilise in between uses with chlorine or bleach or some other potent form of strong cleaning fluid.

Also when taking cuttings or seedlings from the nurseries or friends drench them in something like Dead Red or some other general purpose insecticide. Really drench them cause the last thing that you want is other people's problems in the form of pests and diseases.??Pests can ruin even a experts garden.

Even when planting I give them a good squirt as a precautionary measure that has saved my Garden from being infested.

You can also use a natural pesticide called Neem that you can use all the way up to harvest. It has no residual and stops the pests from breeding and feeding.

Also if you have used no chemicals you can employ beneficial bugs to eliminate the problem. This is the best solution because they don't stop until they have eaten all there prey.

Just drop us a line and we can give you advice or check out your local store for products and solutions that I have not mentioned here.

Happy Gardening

By Pepelapue

4/06/2009



Monday, September 7, 2009

Getting the most out of your nutrient and additives.



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When you have selected your nutrient and additives if you are using them. Have a clean reservoir then add the water. A little tip if you are making up big batches is to use a pump to stir. Preferably a strong pump so you can add your nutrients and it get stirred up within seconds.

Measure equal amounts of nutrient? A & B solutions and then add them one at a time waiting for a few seconds or minutes (if you have a small pump). When these are mixed well add your additives. Then check the PH and adjust. A safe range for PH is between 5.5 and 6.5. A safe range for the nutrients is between 1.2 EC and 2.5 EC depending on the plant. Always use a weaker mix first if unsure then increase slowly so as not to burn the plant. An instrument for measuring nutrient is called a Truncheon and will save you money on Nutrients plus save plant burnings.

Thanks for reading and we'll be back real soon.

Happy Gardening

By Pepelapue

4/06/2009

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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Courtyard Garden: Patio Garden Design Ideas



The need for courtyard gardens and patio gardens have increased in demand as people require them to get away from the pressures of life. Courtyard gardens have become a very important extension of your home and its easy to see why. These garden courtyards or patio gardens are very beautiful and tranquil and can be designed according to your needs and demands and are ideal for easy apartment gardening.

Courtyard Gardening

Courtyard garden design can be a very enjoyable experience, if you have a small area that you wish to decorate. Courtyard gardens can be either large or small depending on the area in which you decide to garden and are excellent when you have limited space to garden. Majority of courtyard gardens are designed in a manner which is found open to the sky, but sometimes it can be covered partially by a pergola. It can also be covered completely using transparent coverings such as glass or polycarbonate. Courtyards can be designed in such a way, that it seems as if it is a part of the house. .

Patio Garden Ideas

When creating a patio garden it is important to understand the entire process and patio garden ideas before embarking on this adventure.

  • The things that will be of great importance when designing your patio garden will be flooring for one. Be sure to aim for a surface that complements the design of your home.
  • Painting the patio garden walls in colors that work with the interior of your home is very important in creating a beautiful patio.
  • An important part of creating a beautiful courtyard garden is adding fixtures and fittings such as arches, pergolas and miniature container plants.
  • You can also add a small coffee table and a bench, but make sure that you do not cramp the entire patio.

Always consider you interior accessories when decorating your patio garden in order to maintain a flow from the home into the patio.

Choosing Patio Garden Plants

When choosing? your courtyard or patio garden plants, it is important to understand the space that you have to work with. You can find a host of plants that all well suited for your courtyard or patio garden, such as:

  • Adam’s Needle
  • Bay
  • Bizzie Lizzie
  • Chusan Palm
  • Lily of the Valley
  • Tulip

These plants work are great courtyard garden design ideas as they work well in restricted areas. You can also find a host of other plants that work well with patio and courtyards. These include:

  • Dwarf Fan Palm
  • Forest Pansy
  • Ornamental Cherry
  • Passion Flower
  • Red Hot Poker
  • Rock Rose.

Adding plants to your courtyard and patio garden adds to the beauty of the area creating a magical and tranquil feel. If you have trouble finding plants at the local nursery, you can even buy plants online.

Planning and implementing a courtyard garden is an enjoyable experience and it is a great way to use small spaces in your house to create a masterpiece.

Reference:

  1. Courtyard Garden Design - Gardening Australia